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Dockable, Waterfront, Lake Hartwell homes are still selling well and homes, under contract, are improving. The lake level has come up with all the rain we’ve been getting, but the Corps will try to keep it around 4’ down until May. With interest rates still low, I expect Lake Home sales will continue to improve in 2016. Inventory of listed homes is still down, which will push prices higher. I expect the inventory shortage is because many homes were purchased during the “heyday” period of 2004 to 2008, and many owners are finding that they are still backwards on their purchase. But for those owners that truly want to sell at market prices, “Now is the Time to get it Listed”. I averaged about three showings a week with potential lake property buyers that wanted to take advantage of the “great deals” in 2015. I’m seeing that trend continuing into 2016.

According to the SC Western Upstate MLS, Lake Hartwell Dockable Waterfront Home Sales improved 33.6% over 2014. That’s a strong indicator that we’re moving in the right direction. Average Sale prices ($326K) have increased slightly 3.2% over 2014, with most buyers still looking in the $200,000 to $350,000 range.

Note: FSBO homes and GA MLS homes (not listed in the SC Western Upstate MLS) are not included in the above numbers.

Real Estate activity with waterfront Lake Hartwell homes have started to warm up. Now if we can get the weather to warm a little, things would be really great. As you may know, the lake level has come up with all the rain we’ve been getting. The Corps should manage it so it’ll full by May 1st. With the Stock Market and Consumer Confidence growing it’s looking like 2015 may be another banner year for Lake Sales. Unfortunately, the Inventory of listed homes is down. If lake front home owners want to sell their home, “Now is the Time”. I averaged about three showings a week with potential lake property buyers that wanted to take advantage of the “great deals” in 2014. I expect 2015 to be the same or better. I also sold the majority of my Listings in 2014, so hopefully that trend will continue.

Lake Hartwell Waterfront Home Sales improved 22.6% over 2013. That’s a strong indicator that we’re moving in the right direction. Average Sale prices ($320K) have increased by 3.2% over 2013, with most buyers looking in the $200,000 to $350,000 range.

GOLF HOME FOR SALE - 100 OCONEE AVENUE, WESTMINSTER SC - From the Road this Large Golf Front Home is deceiving. From the Green on the 16th Hole your response will be …Wow! This is a fantastic Location for a Home. Most of the Rooms in this 4 Bedroom, 3 Bath home look over the Beautiful Chickasaw Point Trails Golf Course. Enjoy entertaining Guests on the Huge Deck that runs the entire width of the Home, chill/lax in your Florida Sunroom that has Stackable, Memory Vinyl Windows, play Pool in the Game Room on the Lower Level or just sit back and read a book in front of one of your two Stone Fireplaces. Highlights also include: Vaulted Ceilings in the Great Room, a Formal Dining Room, Guest Bedroom, Full Bath, Laundry Room and Huge Master Bedroom and Bath Suite with Skylight on the Main Level, Skylight over the Breakfast Area, Kitchen Bar, and additional Bedrooms and Bonus Rooms on the Lower Level. Included in the sale of this Home is an additional Lot, to the left, that also fronts the Golf Course.

As a Lake Hartwell home owner and Real Estate Agent in SC and GA, I would like to express my strong support for the Sanctuary Pointe Development. I understand that there are some people that are challenging this endeavor. In my opinion, it would be a big mistake by not going ahead with this development. Having this Resort and everything that will be part of it, will only help stimulate the Lake Hartwell economy, communities and all of the businesses surrounding it.

2150 DELOACH DR, ANDERSON SC - What a Deal - Here's a Charming Lake Bungalow that can be used as a Primary Home, Weekender or Vacation Home. This Home is in a Great Location, has great water, Views and has a fairly new Single Slip Covered Dock in place. You’ll love the way this home has been upgraded, new interior doors, new plumbing and electrical fixtures, new bamboo flooring and carpet. Entertain guests on the large deck overlooking the lake and private wooded backyard. This property is priced to sell and is being sold “As Is”.

Here is an email that I received from Jerry Clontz, spokesman for Save Our Lakes Now. Currently, we're about 10.5 feet down from full pool. I really don't understand why the Corps would want to release more water before the lakes have a chance to fill up. To me, it makes more sense to take advantage of the rain we've had, and keep the releases low to get the lake to full pool. If you're a Lake Hartwell Real Estate homeowner or have an active interest in the lake, please contact one or more of the Government representatives listed below.

The Corps shows they plan to increase release rates on Lake Thurmond to from 3100cfs to 3800 in mid February and 4,000 at the end of February. With the lakes as low as they are and no guarantee we will be able to refill by start of the summer this is crazy. In the past we had a very poor drought plan but at least it kept the release rates at 3600cfs until the lakes refill. Why for heaven's sake would you want to make the plan worse by going to higher release rates.

There is absolutely no justification for such a move. 3600 cfs has been demonstrated over and over to be satisfactory downstream. Every 100cfs over 3600 is a foot of lake level in a year. If we go to 4000 from now to june the lake will be 2ft lower going into the summer and 4ft lower this time next year.

Please call or write the Colonel and your congressman and senators on this immediately. The email addresses of the congressmen and senators we have been in contact with on lake levels is:

I just received this important email from the Lake Lanier Association. If your a Lake Lanier Real Estate home owner, a Lake Lanier boating enthusiast, or just an avid fan of Lake Lanier, please make your voice heard.

As you may already be aware, today is the deadline for submission of public comments for the Corps of Engineers Water Control Manual revision for the ACF System. The Lake Lanier Association has already submitted comments and we encourage our members to submit their own comments with similar emphasis. In case you would like to review the comments submitted by the Lake Lanier Association, the full text and supporting documents are posted on our website. A quick summary of our comments are as follows:

- The 5,000 cfs minimum flow required at the state line is not representative of the true lowest historical flows in the ACF and is not sustainable.

- Lanier was never designed to support ALL downstream demands and can't be expected to because the dams originally proposed on the Flint River were never built.

- The Corps' current operating rules require more water to be released from Lanier than is necessary and do not allow as much to be stored as is possible. These draw the lake down more than necessary and make it less likely to refill to full pool under contemporary climatic conditions.

- The Endangered Species Act does not require the Corps to augment Apalachicola River flows above run-of-river levels and the practice should not be required because it depletes Lanier unnecessarily.

- Regular navigation is no longer feasible on the ACF and the Corps should not try to support it in view of the other demands on Lanier as a resource of last resort.

I received the following email from J. Cloud of the Lake Lanier Association:

The Lake Lanier Legislative Caucus, which is a group of state senators and state house representatives with constituencies around Lake Lanier, is holding two public meetings on Saturday, December 15, 2012 to gather feedback from Lake Lanier stakeholders regarding potential lake safety and other issues that may be appropriate for inclusion in the upcoming legislative session starting in January 2013. The Lake Lanier Association has already shared with the Legislative Caucus the results of the member survey we conducted last summer. Please see the most recent LLA newsletter for more details regarding those results. The meetings on December 15th are another opportunity for the general public to voice their concerns to our elected officials.

Individuals are invited to attend either meeting. Since time will be at a premium at both of the meetings, we respectfully request that multiple individuals try not to repeat the same information to allow as many persons as possible the opportunity to voice their opinions. Individuals representing larger groups such as homeowners associations, sailing clubs, fishing clubs, etc. are encouraged to speak on behalf of their group.

1st Hearing will be from 10:30-12 p.m.

Gainesville Civic Center Ballroom

830 Green Street

Gainesville, GA

2nd Hearing will be from 1-2:30 p.m.

Buford City Hall

2300 Buford Hwy

Buford, GA

If you are a Lake Lanier Real Estate owner, or have an active interest in preserving Lake Lanier and it's uses, please consider attending one of these meetings.

Here's an interesting email that I received from Save Our Lakes Now concerning the lake levels and flow from Lake Hartwell and Thurmond:

The Corps is proudly announcing that they plan to go to 3100cfs release rate out of Thurmond shortly when the lake hits 14' below full pool. This is fine compared to any other options we have now but this is a real miscarriage of their responsibilities if you look at what they have allowed to happen. In order to keep our lakes at reasonable levels the Corps needs to drop release rates to 3600 cfs (3100 in winter months) anytime the lakes are 2' below full pool. Instead the Corps is waiting until the lakes are down over 14' and virtually destroyed before they do this.

The argument the Corps keeps giving is that people downstream would be hurt unnecessarily if the rates were decreased before now. Not true. Not one single stakeholder on the river had problems with operation at 3600cfs for over 12 consecutive months in the drought of 2008-9. The only people who complained were environmental groups expressing concern that problems MIGHT occur at this low a flow to the river.

There are a number of very strong arguments to counter holding flows up because they MIGHT be a problem.

If a REAL problem occurs the release rates can be increased when that happens

Nature only provides 3600cfs input averaged over a year so anything higher than that is man trying to one up Nature. Man just isn't that smart. Smoothing out flooding and the severity of the driest parts of droughts makes sense but trying to generate water out of thin air does not.

Water is one of our most precious commodities. It ranks right up there with air. Deliberately throwing fresh water away by releasing more to the ocean than nature does is criminal and needs to stop.

These challenges are taken care of by simply dropping releases to 3600cfs (3100 in winter months) whenever the lakes are down 2'. No more water is going to the ocean than nature requires. No one is harmed downstream based on past experience. And true balance between the lakes and the river is achieved (i.e. neither the river nor the lakes are getting more water than the other).

I’m getting asked from prospective Buyers, “Where are all of the Listings on Lake Lanier?” Last year, about this time, there were about 370 Active Lake Lanier Waterfront listings in FMLS. Today, we have about 230. That’s quite a big decline. Why? Well, in my humble opinion, Sellers are reluctant to list their properties at current market rates, there are concerns about the water level, and many are waiting until Spring, hoping that the water comes up and they won’t have to give big discounts. I hope they don’t miss a good time to sell. Think about it! Serious Buyers have a lot of reasons to buy today: some of the best loan rates in history (close to 3.5% for 30 yrs.), low water levels so they can be more confident in what kind of water they’ll have during seasonal and drought fluctuations, fantastic list prices that are near 1996 levels, and a market that is conducive to negotiation and getting great deals.

Here are year to date (10/18/12) statistics for 2012 “Dockable” Lake Lanier Real Estate. This list does not include condos and townhouses. (Based on information from the First Multiple Listing Service (FMLS) and does not include FSBO and non FMLS listings):

2012

Homes Sold137

Average Days on the Market 237

Original Average List Price $539,654

Average Sale Price 464,127

Sale vs. Original List Price 86.1%

Current Active Dockable Listings 232

Current Homes Pending (under contract) 31

If you’d like to receive an actual list of the homes that have sold or that are pending, please click on the link below or email Jay Hufnagel, Keller Williams Realty, at sayjay@bellsouth.net.